The present invention relates to a method of decoding a bitstream including a plurality of multiplexed digital video bitstreams corresponding to previously coded signals, said method comprising in cascade the steps of:
receiving n digital video bitstreams in the form of a single multiplexed bitstream originating from previous transmitting and/or storage means; PA1 selecting one single digital video bitstream for display; and PA1 decoding the selected digital video bitstream. PA1 means for receiving n digital video bitstreams in the form of a single multiplexed bitstream originating from previous transmitting and/or storage means and demultiplexing said multiplexed bitstream; PA1 storing means; PA1 means for selecting one single digital video bitstream for display; and PA1 means for decoding the selected digital video bitstream, and to a reception equipment comprising such a decoding device. PA1 a demultiplexer, provided for separating the input multiplexed bitstream into n respective demultiplexed digital video bitstreams corresponding to original sequences, of images; PA1 parallel buffers; PA1 a selector provided for enabling said viewer to select for decoding and display one of said bitstreams stored in one buffer, only a limited part of the other non-selected demultiplexed bitstreams being stored within the (n-1) other buffers, and said limited part being at least the coded signals corresponding to a previous intra frame of each bitstream; PA1 a decoder of said selected bitstream; PA1 display means, in the form of a screen of a television set.
The invention also relates both to a device for decoding a bitstream including a plurality of multiplexed digital video bitstreams corresponding to previously coded signals, said device comprising:
This invention finds an application in the field of television (standard, high definition, or interactive television for instance), and particularly in the field of video terminals or receivers based on the MPEG standard.
The european patent application no. 0566092 describes an apparatus for decoding compression-coded moving picture signals, comprising, in one of the proposed embodiments, a single decoder provided for decoding an input bitstream composed of multiplexed coded signals corresponding to independent original sequences of images. This apparatus associates to said decoder control means allowing to reconstruct and display from the output signals of the decoder the pictures corresponding to one of the original video sequences. However, the method carried out in such an apparatus does not take into account the problems which appear in case of switching from a sequence to another one and, more particularly, the troublesome factors which considerably increase the waiting time for pictures from the new video sequence.